I'm Sticking To You
by AuroraBluma
Summary: Edith's story is unknown, even to her companion Cole. She's closed off more than most because she doesn't speak. Not a word. Can anyone break through her walls and get her to talk again? (Set in Season 2 and will mainly follow the episodes from there. Might change this summary once I know where the story is going to go...)


Chapter One:

Edith pulled on Cole's shirt sleeve and pointed down the road. They were approaching what seemed like a pretty small town area, but that didn't mean it couldn't be crawling with the dead. She had better eye-sight than the older man and was usually the first to see far-off danger.

Cole turned to see where she was pointing and was surprised to see two living people and their horses. They were the first survivors Cole had come across since he met Edith two weeks ago.

Cole turned back towards the young woman and smiled, but she kept darting her eyes from the couple and their horses to the woods on the side of the road.

"You thinking we should hide from them?"

Edith nodded.

"I ain't surprised. You were all kinds of fidgety when I first met you, but it turned out just fine didnit?"

Edith shrugged her shoulders but kept looking towards the woods. She was leaving the decision with him, but letting him know where she stood on the issue.

"Well I don't think they've seen us yet. That's good. Hows about we get closer, and see what type of people they are before showing ourselves?"

She gave a quick nod and then the two went behind the buildings in order to get closer to the other survivors.

Edith could hear them before being able to see them. It was a man and woman, and they sounded… happy? They were talking and laughing with each other like they had no idea what was going on in the world. The fact Cole and she were able to get this close without them noticing was a sign they weren't fighters or lone survivors.

Edith peaked around the back of a building, across the street from the couple. They were young. The woman had short brown hair and the man was wearing a baseball cap. That's all she could tell besides their joyful mood.

The couple kissed.

Cole then took a look.

"Why, they're in love. Flirting in the middle of the apocalypse. Imagine that."

Edith rolled her eyes but Cole couldn't see.

Cole started to walk out behind the building and down the street towards the couple, Edith tried to stop him but wouldn't go further than the shadow of the building. So she stayed put. Apparently he had made up his mind the couple was alright.

The young man noticed Cole first and the couple tensed. The man had a weapon of some kind and was reaching towards it. At the first movement of his hand, Edith already had her gun aimed at his hand. He made one wrong move towards Cole and his brains would be all over his girlfriend… and then so much for love in the apocalypse.

"Hey there folks! Sorry to sneak up on you like this but didn't want to yell atcha down the road incase of attracting you know what and also just incase ya'll weren't the friendly types. My name is Cole and my shy companion back behind that building," Cole pointed towards her, "is named Edith. Most likely she's got her gun out but I assure you she's sweet and we ain't here to hurt ya'll or nothing."

The young man grasped his weapon at the mention of Edith's gun, but the woman walked in front of him towards Cole.

"Hi, I'm Maggie and this is Glen."

"Howdy, Maggie and Glen. I was just wondering if you could help us get our bearings, you know: where is this place, what's it near, is there any decent shelter or anything to scavenge… that sorta thing." Cole turned back towards Edith and motioned with his hand for her to come out of her hiding spot. She reluctantly did. She even lowered her gun, but still held it in her hand.

Cole walked closer to the couple and put out his hand for a handshake. Maggie and Glen both shook his hand. Edith finally reached Cole's side but kept her hands at her sides. She instead took to looking at her surroundings, making sure the area was safe for the time being. She saw the building the couple had just come out of was a pharmacy.

As Maggie started to answer Cole's questions, Edith went straight into the pharmacy to scavenge what she could.

"Your, uh, companion seems like a super cheery person." Glen said sarcastically.

"Yeah, she comes off all stone-faced and sour when you first meet her but she's got a heart of gold I promise you that."

"Stone-faced and sour reminds me of someone in your group." Maggie said to Glen.

"You aren't in the same group?" Cole asked.

"No, not really. Well… for the moment, yes. Our groups' paths crossed and for now we're together. But I guess we don't think of it as one group yet and…" Glen trailed off from his ramble and scratched the back of his head. Maggie giggled next to him.

Cole flashed them his genuine sweet old man smile. "It's tricky knowing exactly how to deal with new people and all, I get it. I myself think there's safety to be had in numbers, but this world turns people awful harsh so you still gotta be on your toes. My associate is more of that cautious type of person. Don't really know the details of why, but I can understand where she's coming from. After I lost my group, she's been the only person I've come across and she was awful anxious when we first met."

"How long have you two been together? She doesn't talk much about her past at all?" Maggie asked.

"We've been together just over two weeks and in all that time I ain't heard a peep outta her. She just doesn't talk at all. Course, Imma bit of a jibber jabber, so I guess it works out fine."

Maggie and Glen stared at him. "Doesn't talk at all? How do you know her name then or anything else about her? How can you trust her?" Glen asked as he looked back towards the pharmacy to see if Edith had emerged yet.

"Hell, you can't be that surprised she don't talk. Look at the world we live in. It's enough to make anyone speechless. All the horrors you can come across day to day. Everything that we've all seen. And my guess is she's seen her share just as anyone else. Surviving ain't the same as living or thriving. As far as her name, she has a bracelet that says Edith. I asked if that was her name and she indicated it was. She communicates just fine without words and has saved by butt too many times to name them all. Far as I'm concerned, she's my kin now. And you can trust your kin."

Edith smiled at this. She had heard the whole exchange. It only took her about five minutes to go through the pharmacy and find what they needed or could use. She knew scavenging had to be quick. In and out. But she had stayed put in order to eavesdrop a bit. Now she emerged from the pharmacy and took her place beside Cole. She nudged him slightly with her elbow.

"Well thank ya'll for telling us where we are and all. We can get outta your hair though and be on our way. We can even leave first if ya want, so you know we won't follow or nothing." With that Edith started walking down the road of the town and Cole gave the couple one last handshake.


End file.
